Proposed contract thoughts.

Just curious what some of your opinions on the proposed contract by the
the PBA.

Couple of notes**

*increase retirement medical pay from 5$ to 7$ per year of service.
*shift differential of 5% for midnight shift.
*7% increase for 2007 and 5% 2008
*detention placed on the same step plan as patrol
*uniform allowance
*master deputy and corporal program which has 3 different levels
stipend pay of 2000-4000-6000


Going off memory so if I made any mistakes please correct me.

Retirement medical pay should start at the time you leave if you have 25 years. As it is now when you leave, the county will not give it to you until you reach the age of 55.

Increased retirement benefit: Maybe

Shift differential: Not likely

Pay increase: Maybe at 6 and 5

Parity pay: Yeah right

Uniform allowance: Maybe about $10 a month

Master Deputy and Corporal: That will just be a recognition thing if it passes, but I don't see a stipend to go with it. Especially at those rates.

Well of course we won't get everything but I think what they are asking
for is for the most part reasonable. Nothing that other local agencies aren't already offering. I have my fingers crossed. Of course not everyone will be happy but what can you do.

3 hours for court time. And when court starts/ends within 2 hours of your shift, you should be paid straight through.

Regarding the Health Insurance Stipend increase from $5 to $7 per year of service: I don't see how that is negotiable since an increase requires an act of the State Legislature.

There is a matching "stipend" from the County but it is based upon what the state pays.

Here's something negotiable: The County QUITS PAYING the stipend when you reach Medicare age (65.) This is precisely when you incur added expense, paying for Medicare Part B. Negotiate that they continue to pay the stipend after age 65.

The state doesn't quit paying.

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Also, unless they have changed things since I left, if you take a deferred retirement (don't begin drawing an annuity immediately) you lose the option of continuing your county health care insurance. If this is still the case it needs to be changed! It's bad enough that you have to pay the whole premium. It's outrageous that they would prevent you from keeping it.

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I realize that it's difficult for people early in their careers to envision their retirement years, but believe me health insurance benefits in retirement is one of the most important issues you can have.

The county has a committee which concentrates on minimizing health insurance costs to the county. They are NOT looking out for you! You should get well informed on the issue and make these benefits a top priority.

Best of luck.

How about a committee that strives to find insurance for county employees that provides the best coverage at the best rate. I really wonder if paying Humana to manage the county's self-insurance is really as cost effective as we are led to believe. The county grabs all the county employees by the hand and tries to lead us skipping and smiling down their road of happiness. What about other group plans? Other types of insurance on top of what we have all ready, like home and auto? I know there are group plans with major agencies out there for these things. And even if the PBA tries to do something, they are just a voice in the wilderness when it comes to the county as a whole. Vote my fellow county employees!!! Maybe then our voices might be heard.

I don't understand why shift differential would not be a hands down "yes". I think that it would be a great thing. There are many studies that have been completed which indicate the wear and tear on your body from working midnight shift. If you don't agree, you must be working dayshift and have no intentions of working midnight shift. Many other agencies pay their officers more money to work the graveyard shift. HCSO does it for certain civial positions: garage, communications, etc. If you don't think the county should compensate us then come ride at night so that you might remember how it is.

I really don't see them agreeing to either the jail or the road getting a shift differential. I believe someone asked about that under the last administration and they were "apparently" told no because we all do the same job. I say "apparently" because it is what the person told me, I never saw it in writing. The county might also try and step in. Remember a few years ago when they tried to stop our pay raise and someone on the county commission said we were paid in other ways. We had the satisfaction of knowing we were protecting the community. While that may be a great thing to have it doesn't pay the bills.

I htink that you are talking about parity pay. Parity pay is bringing the jail salaries equal to the street salaries. Differential Pay is different. Differential pay provides a small payment to those that work evening or midnight shift. Originally, we were told that we all rotated around the clock so everyone had their evenings and midnights to deal with evenly. This is not so, not everyone rotated at that time. Only certain positions rotated or became a fixed evening or midnight shift. Sheriff Cal Henderson was asked about the shift differential one time and he explained that civil service rules did not permit sworn officers to receive it. There was a rule, but I don't understand why it could not have been negotiated. Now it apparently ca. It is about time for the compensation to be offerred in the same manner the communications center and the garage get it. You can't say that HCSO doesn't believe that the shift puts a hardship on you life and body, they have been paying a shift differential for many years but they have not taken the extra steps to include sworn officer. It's long overdue!

I do understand the difference between parity pay and shift diff. I use to get shift diff in a previous job. They had 3.5% for 3 to 11 and 5% for 11 to 7. Those in the 12 hour slots got 5% for the 7pm to 7am shift. Working nights is good but it would be better with a shift differential. But you may be right about him referring to parity pay. I did get the info second hand. As for parity pay that won't happen without an act of God.

tampa pd offers shift differential as does pinellas county of 10%